UEFA 2020 Euro Championship – Day 13

Group D: England (1) 1 – 0 (0) Czech Republic

Goal-scorer: Sterling (12′)

Wembley Stadium, London

Football is a results game and England’s first task was to qualify from the group and on that basis on paper that is what has happened. Top of the group, unbeaten in three games and no goals conceded. This was a decidedly better performance than that against Scotland and particularly in the first-half there was some genuinely positive play from Bukayo Saka, Jack Grealish and goal-scorer Raheem Sterling. Harry Kane drew another blank but was unlucky with his one genuine opportunity which Tomas Vaclik did well to save. The Czechs had their moments but huffed and puffed without much success and this result combined with the win for Croatia, saw the Czech Republic drop from top position to third but still make the last 16. England back at Wembley next week and await to see who visits the arch once the games conclude tonight. Whoever it is, it will be a proper test, unlike the phoney war of the group games.

 

Group D: Scotland (1) 1 – 3 (1) Croatia

Goal-scorers: Scotland – McGregor (42′) Croatia – Vlasic (17′), Modric (62′), Perisic (77′)

Hampden Park, Glasgow

This was a do or die game for both sides. The equation was a simple one, only a win would be good enough to have a chance of progress to the knockout phase. With my feet-up watching the England game, the biggest cheers of the night from the Wembley crowd  (other than for England’s winner) was when news from Hampden Park filtered through every time Croatia scored. Despite home advantage the Scots maintained their record of never having progressed from the group stages of major finals. Vlasic opened the scoring for Croatia with McGregor getting the leveller to offer some hope for Scotland to set up a vital second period. However, it was Croatia who got the job done. Modric’s goal on sixty-two minutes can only be described as world-class, with a genius finish and fifteen minutes later the final nail in Scotland’s coffin was delivered by a flicked header from Perisic following a corner. 3-1 to Croatia, a result which saw them leapfrog into second spot and a trip to Copenhagen in the last 16.

 

So we reach the last group games and then a couple of days of no action, until the last sixteen games get underway on Saturday (26 June). Group E comes to its conclusion with Slovakia v Spain at La Cartuja in Seville, whilst Sweden take on Poland at the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg. Slovakia only need a point against Spain to ensure their place in the last 16, whilst Spain will reach the knockout phase with a win but could also progress if they draw and Poland do not beat Sweden. It has been a strange couple of games so far for Spain, but surely they will win today? Sweden who top the group will maintain that with win over Poland, but a draw and results in the other game could see the drop to second spot. For Poland its all or nothing, with only victory over the Swedes enough to see them through

England will have their eyes on the games in Group F with the runners-up here the Three Lions opponents next week. Germany host Hungary at the Allianz Arena in Munich, whilst over in Budapest World Champions France play European Champions Portugal. Nothing is cut and dried in this group, and this is what each team needs to do to ensure they are not heading for the exits:

• France will finish first if they win, or if they draw and Germany do not beat Hungary. If France lose and Hungary win, second place will be decided on overall goal difference.
• Germany will go through if they win, or if they draw and France do not lose. Germany will finish first if they win and France do not. Germany will finish third if they draw and France lose, or if both Germany and Portugal lose.
• Portugal qualify if they win, or if they draw and Germany lose. Portugal will finish first if they win and Germany do not. Portugal will finish fourth if they lose and Germany also lose.
• Hungary will go through in second place if they win, and Portugal lose. If they win and France lose, second place will be decided on overall goal difference. Hungary will finish third if they win and the other game is drawn.

After all this I think the two-day break will be a welcome one for all!